


Stone Free

by Deetvar



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem 外伝 | Fire Emblem Gaiden
Genre: Concubines, Family Drama, Gen, Inheritance Disputes, Original Characters - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 23:24:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17110127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deetvar/pseuds/Deetvar
Summary: Jesse reflects on his place within the family.





	Stone Free

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DQueenie13](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DQueenie13/gifts).



> For Zebra.

“Impressive form, brother!”    
  
“Oh, this?” Jesse returned back into his previous stance, his sword pointing to the ground and his sword arm resting on his waist. “It’s called the Fool’s Guard.”    
  
“Why is it called that?”    
  
Jesse reached over and ruffled his brother’s hair. “Because they say either you must either a fool to use it.” Jesse stepped away from his brother and returned to his stance. With one quick motion Jesse performed a parry. “Or you must be foolish enough to fall for it.”    
  
“Wow!”    
  
“Marshall, do not move from your place!” A voice yelled from across the courtyard. A woman in a red dress made her way toward them. “How irresponsible of you! You know full well Marshal can not partake in swordsmanship.”   
  
“I was just showing Marshall some forms, is all.”    
  
“Excuses! He’s not fit for combat.”    
  
Marshall pressed his arms against his mother. “Mother, please. Jesse was simply demonstrating; I did not hold a sword at all.”   
  
“Regardless, the training grounds is no place for you. Come, Marshall.” The woman grabbed her son’s hand.. She made a glance back toward Jesse, it was a cold evil eye. “And you.”    
  
A lapse. The air around them had for a moment chilled, and a breeze made its way into the training grounds despite the warm spring Jesse was accustomed to.   
  
The gap in her speech only widened and with each moment, the stare felt like a dagger into her stomach.    
  
Jesse placed his arm across his chest, and bowed. “My apologies my lady.”    
  
She left, taking Marshall with her.    
  
Jesse lowered his sword and looked at his own arms. He had never felt so constrained.    


* * *

 

“Hey Ma, how you’re doing?” Jesse leaned down on the floor beside a woman draped in thin linen cloth.   


“My son, what worries you?” She rested her arms on his shoulders   
  
“Nothing Ma, just thinkin’.”   
  
“You seem troubled. Please let your dear mother know.” 

Jesse looked around him, keeping watching from any unwelcome ears. “Why this, Ma?” Jesse lifted his hands as if raising the sky.  
  
It took her a moment to register his words. “There's hardly much purpose elsewhere. In Rigel you have the tenacity to withstand or perish. In Zofia, though the land is blessed, yet what fruit do our labors bear? It's all the same. We have become stagnant. If stagnation or dreary persistence are my choices, then I’d rather stagnate here.”   
  
“Why must it be  this way, Ma? Why only two?”   
  
With a somber look, she raised her hand to Jesse’s chin. “This is the way the gods have chosen for us, and it is not our place to question their making.”   
  
“But don’t you hate it? Having to deal with-  _ her _ ?” Jesse voice cracked not even bearing to say her name.    
  
“I suppose this is my price.” She rose from her coach and walked toward away. “Sometimes Jesse...our choices aren’t choices.”   


* * *

“And the land was split in twain-”   
  
“What does that word mean Jesse?” Marshal pointed back on the page to the word _twain_.  
  
“It means two, so the land was split in half.” Jesse patted his brother’s hair and kept on reading the book.   
  
Jesse kept on reading the book until Marshall’s eyes began to lower. “Well...looks like someone is sleepy.”   
  
Jesse carried Marshall into his arms and walked toward his room, ready to put him for his nap. He walked into Marshal’s room and laid him on his bed.   
  
As Jesse walked back to the halls, he heard a yell from afar. _No. Please no._ __  
__  
Jesse ran across the hall heading to the castle’s seraglio and made a stop at the door. He hugged the door, keeping a close ear.   
  
“And you’re certain, Lady Alexandra?”  
  
“Yes, clear as day! She presents herself the lady of this house so callously.”   
  
Jesse spied from the corner of the door; his mother wore the bracelet of his lord mother. A fear struck in his heart. _A plot? Just for showing some sword moves. And she brought the house guards really?_ __  
__  
“What do you have to say for yourself?” Lady Alexandra jabbed at Jesse’s mother, demanding an answer.  
  
“I-well I uh-”   
  
_Ma’s frozen._   
  
“That is-to say.”  
  
_Ma, please no. C’mon Jesse, think._ __  
__  
Jesse leaped into view, his right hand playfully scratching his head. “Hey Ma, did you find the bracelet?”   
  
Jesse took a glance at the bracelet and turned to his lord mother. “I see you did. My apologies, Lord Mother, I had asked of my mother to help me find your bracelet.”   
  
The guard turned his head. “I see...my lady?”  
  
Jesse made eye contact toward his lord mother with a slight grin. _Do it. I dare you. You wouldn’t dare raise a hand to the favorite._ __  
__  
“Yes….thank you. _Jesse.”_ __  
__  
Jesse turned to his mother. “Thank you, Hetaira Roxanne, for your assistance.” Jesse turned back to his lord mother, a gleam of devious satisfaction shone in his eye.   
  
“Yes...my apologies.” Lady Alexandra darted her eyes away, her tone defeated, but Jesse could see the palms formed into fists. “Jesse, my charming boy. May I speak with you? I have some matters I have need to ask.”   
  
Jesse bowed. “Of course.”   
  
__Fuck.  


* * *

Later that night after Jesse assorted his duties, he was left to face off the fury of his lord mother. The thought loomed over his head all day.    
  
As he walked toward her study, he recalled each incident. Minor incidents she would call them, and each incident more troublesome and complex than the last. It was tiring. Was it worth continuing? What would Clive or Fernand say?   
  
Jesse knocked on the door of her study.    
  
“Enter.”   
  
Standing tall, he made a bow. “Lord Mother.”    
  
“Drop the formalities.” She scorned back.    
  
“Ouch, no need for that. I was trying not to tick you off anymore than you are.”    
  
She threw a book at him past his shoulder. “Why? Why must you ridicule me so?”    
  
“I love my mother, and as her son I have a duty to protect her. Surely, you as a mother understand this.” He darted back.    
  
“I can hardly give a damn about your concubine mother. What I want is you out. Not only am I mockery to all the noblewomen at court, but I have to bear that my own son will be nothing but a shadow to a bastard like you.”    
  
“Oh my lady, I apologize for the sin of my birth.” He joked, irritated having to continue this so called chat.   
  
“Play your jests, just let it know I have no intention of ridding you however I can.”    
  
Jesse stepped back into the recesses of his memories.  _ Ever since Father took another wife, I’ve had nothing but this. It hurts Marshall. It hurts Father. It hurts Ma.  _   
  
_ Jesse, such an impressive form. Wow Jesse, could you teach me to handle the sword like you? Will you enlist in the Valencian Knights like Clive? _ __  
__  
_ Marshall. I’m sorry. _ __  
__  
“How about an arrangement?”    
  
Alexandra raised her brow. “Explain.”    
  
“You want me gone right? How about I just leave?”    
  
“Don’t be-”   
  
“Shut up and listen.” Jesse inhaled a breath of air. “If I leave, will you promise me that you would do nothing to my Mother?”    
  
“Yes. There would be no need. Any further children would only be secondary to my son.” She replied, intently focused on his expression. “Is that an acceptable answer?”    
  
Jesse turned his face in suspicion.    
  
“So what will it be,  __ boy ? Make your choice.”   
  
Jesse turned back. “You people do nothing but pull me down.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Hetaira is a Greek type of prostitute, the exact meaning is still disputed by scholars but the general view is that they are distinct from prostitutes that have large clients. Hetaira are prostitutes that take very few clients with long term relationships with said clients. Given that Valencia is vaguely Greek similar to Akaneia, I thought it fitting since there does seem to be an established precedent in Zofian society for concubines and said children of concubines don't carry any direct form of issues regarding inheritance (i.e Jesse and Celica). 
> 
> Jesse's mother is Roxanne. Jesse's brother is named Marshall with his mother being Alexandra. They're references, figure it out.


End file.
